Coupler



E. P. KINNE July 9, 193 5.

COUPLER E. P. KINNE July 9, 1935.

COUPLER Filed June 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 iamwzdffiiizize, WW" I zm'mu July 9, 1935.

E. P. YKINNE COUPLER Filed June 17, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 9, 1935 PATENT orrlcs COUPLER Edmund P. Kinne, Alliance; Ohio; assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey .Application June 17, 1931, Serial No. 545,064 12 Claims. (01. 213-151 This invention pertainsto coupling devices and more particularly toimproved couplers, such as the A. R. A. standard couplers known as the typeD and type Estandard No. 10 contour, wherein; means is provided for compensating for loosening of the contour.

After a couplerhas been put into service there.

is a certain amount of preliminary wearing ofi or crushing down of the high spots on all bearing'surfaces. After this preliminary action there follows a less rapid stretching of the contour lines due to wear and distortion of the bearing surfaces. The amount couplers are permitted to wear before being condemned depends on maintaining the principal dimension of the contour, which is that dimension from the nose of the knuckle tothe guard arm, within an established maximum of 5 If this dimension is exceeded, the contour becomes unsafe and causes danger of couplers slipping apart with knuckles closed and locked.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a coupler wherein means is provided for compensating for loosening of the contour due to seating or wearing in of the parts and for prolonging the efi'ective life of the coupler contour.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knuckle which is adapted to be applied to existing A. RnAptype couplers for compensating for wear or other stretching of the contour.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupler wherein increased effective bearing area is provided between the coupler head and the knuckle. r l I Still another object of the invention is to provide a knuckle wherein increased strength is provided through the throat thereof for preventing breakage or stretch to the contour.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certainrnovel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims ap pended hereto.

'In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional top plan view of a coupler embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view. of'a coupler knuckle embodying'the invention,.the dotted lines representing the standard A. R. A. structure;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of couplerembodying the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional top plan view showing the relation of the pivot pinto the hole in the coupler ear in the present A. R. A. type of coupler;

Figure 5 is a sectional top plan view showing the relation of thepivot pin to. the hole in the coupler ear in the coupler embodying the invention; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the repair knuckle.

Referring first of all more particularly to the 10 construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the standard A. R. A. coupler head In is provided with the ear I2, the-lock I4, the pulling lugs I6, the pin protector pulling lugs l8, and the guard arm 20, all in accordance with the standard A. R.--A. construction. In the present A. R. A. construction thedimensions are referred to the :c-xaxis and the y-y axis, the 03-1: axis being thelongitudinal center line of the coupler. Knuckle 22 is pivotally mounted as at 24 to the coupler ear.

In the present A. R. A. type of coupler the bearing surfaces of the projecting portions 26, 28 onthe knuckle are disposed with respect to hearing surfaces there is no bearing in a longitudinal direction of the knuckle against the pivot pin, or of the pivot pin in the ear of the coupler. Such present type is shown in Figure 4. That is, in normal position, with the coupler in closed position, the pivot pin 30 30 is disposed to contact as at 32 the side of the aperture 34 provided in the coupler ear adjacent the throat 36 of the coupler, it being seen that since the hole in the ear is elongated there will be abearing contact only at the point 32, clearance being initially provided around the pin. The elongated aperture 34 is struck from four centers 38, 40, 42 and 44, pairs of said centers 38 and. 4|], and 42 and 44, being equally spaced from the transverse center line 48 of the elongated aperture 34. I

In forming the parts making up the coupler assembly the pinbeing of rolled steel, has a comparatively smooth and true bearing surface, and it is a simple matter. to properly form the aperturesin the ear. and knuckle to provide a true and smooth bearing surface with the pin. In .order; then, to utilize the pin, the improved coupler provides a bearing at the pivot pin cooperating with the bearings at the othersurfaces between the knuckle and coupler head and lock. In order to do this the pin hole in the knuckle is shifted so that the centerthereof is moved from the center 49' to the center 44'. The pin which fits the opening in the knuckle is I6 and 18. in the coupler so that 2 then shifted 5 relative to the pin holes 34 in the ears on the head and will engage in bearing relation therewith substantially over the quadrant of the apertures or holes 34 as defined by a radius having the center 44 in the manner disclosed in Figure of the drawings. When this is accomplished the position of the knuckle with respect to the coupler and the relative positions of the apertures therein is as shown in Figure 1.

In the formation of couplers a normal contour line is sought, such as that of the standard A. R. A. coupler before the parts are worn in, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. If this contour could be maintained a perfect condition would arise, but due to wear the contour loosens materially so that the parts are subject to too great strain, or the relation of the parts is such that repair parts are soon necessary. In order to prevent this condition arising a knuckle such as shown in Figure 2 is provided wherein the coupler contour originally is materially tightened and subsequent wear causes a true seating of the bearing surfaces between the knuckle, coupler head and lock to a position where the then arrived at contour approaches the normal perfect contour.

Referring now to Figure 2, the present center line of the coupler is shown at a:-.r. The present base line is shown at y-y, and the proposed center line for the contour portion of the knuckle is shown at 5-2. The new reference or construction line for the contour portion of the knuckle is shown at v-v. (Where one surface of the knuckle is described it will be understood that the opposite surface is provided with similar parts.) The dotted line position of the knuckle where it differs from the full line positions is that of the present standard A. R. A. knuckle, while the full line position of the partsis that of the proposed knuckle. In this case, the knuckle 50 is provided on the top and bottom surfaces with the pulling lug 52 having a pulling face 54 thereon. The knuckle is also provided with a pin protector 56 having a bufiing shoulder 58 and a surface 60 adapted to engage a lug and the coupler head or coupler ear in draft, the surface 60 merging into a surface 62 adapted to engage a cooperating surface on the coupler ear to transmit a transverse stress to the coupler ear. In order to provide an increased amount of metal in the throat of the knuckle to prevent breakage and provide a stronger knuckle, the pin hole is relocated from the standard pin hole shown at the dotted lines at 64. The new pin hole is located at 66 to also provide a contact between the pin and the hole in the ears over substantially a quadrant instead of the usual point. The center 68 of the aperture 66 is moved from the point 10, which is the center of the aperture 64 to approach the construction line 11 and also away from the coupler center line. This results in causing a simultaneous contact between the surfaces 54, 60, 62, and the cooperating lugs on the coupler head, and also the contact over the quadrant of the pin with the coupler ears.

The back of the tail of the knuckle is diminished from 12 to 14 and is increased substantially a like amount, as from 16 to 18 on the front or locking face of the tail of the knuckle. The pulling face 80 is thickened or increased to 82. The headportion of the knuckle forming a portion of the coupler contour line is in effect moved in two directions, that is, toward the guard arm of the coupler, and toward the face of the coupler. In other words, the contour 80 of the standard A. R. A. coupler is moved to the position 82 of the improved coupler. The effect is to tighten the contour whereby the distance D (Figure 1) between the knuckle and the guard arm is initially diminished. Tightening of the contour in effect in this application is to be understood to mean that the contour of the knuckle is initially moved rearwardly relative to the coupler head whereby the distance between the pulling face of knuckle and face of coupler head as well as the gauge distance is initially decreased. Upon subsequent wearing in of the parts of the coupler parts, however, the contour of the knuckle assumes its normal relation with the coupler head. The effect of these changes is to increase the amount of metal disposed between the throat of the knuckle and the pin hole of the knuckle, this distance being shown at K (in Figure 2). In draft, pull on the knuckle will cause simultaneous bearing at surfaces 18, 54, 60, 62, and the quadrant 8d of the ear and the quadrant 66 of the knuckle pin hole. After the coupler parts have been worn in, due to use, the full line contour will approach the dotted line contour so that it will be appreciated that a much longer life of the parts will be had, as the parts will be worn in or properly seated nearer the perfect contour line than those of the'standard A. R. A. coupler.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figure 3, in order to accomplish the result of the tighter contour line such as has been described, a

this may also be accomplished by relocating the pin hole 86 in the cars 88 of the coupler 90 to that shown in dotted lines as at 92 in Figure 3. Relocating the pin hole consequently causes relocating the pin protector, pulling lug, buffing shoulders, etc. to bear the same relation to the proposed pin hole as in the present A. R. A. construction. In accomplishing this result the center 94 of the proposed pin hole is moved from the point 96 toward the X axis and away from the Y axis a selected amount. The changes necessary for the knuckle to be moved from the dotted line position 99 of the A. R. A. coupler to the full line position ll of the improved coupler whereby the distance D is attained, involve only changes to the coupler head, with the exception that additional metal is added at 18 as in Figure 2, in order that the locking face be maintained at 18 instead of 16, as has already been described with respect to Figure 2.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figure 6, a knuckle is shown adapted for use as a repair knuckle. This knuckle corresponds to that shown in Figure 2 with respect to the relocation of the pin hole 66 from the position 64, and also with respect to the contour 82, and also with respect to the change of the head contour to the position shown at I00 from that shown at 98. In order to provide the same distance D in a repair job as that obtained in the new coupler due to wear of the parts of the coupler'head, it is necessary for the repair knuckle to be provided with a substantial addition to the locking face surface so that there will be a change in the locking face to I04 from 16, and a decrease in the back of the tail of the knuckle to I06 from 12. This results in substantially the same sort of changes to the locking face and the back of the tail of the knuckle as those shown in Figure 2 from the standard A. R. A. type of knuckle, with the exception that the extent of change to the tail of the knuckle is greater in Figure 6' than shown in Figure 2. In order to compensate for wear on the pulling lug, the pulling lug surfaces are thickened from I08 to H0. The pin protector surfaces 60 and 62 are increased to H2 and Il4,and the buffing shoulders are increased from 58 to I [6. The part of the bufiing shoulder at HB which takes transverse stress is decreased to I20 on account of thedecrease in'the back of the tail of the knuckle, and the increase of the locking face of the knuckle. These changes to the pulling surfaces llll, H2 and H t, and to the buffing surfaces i Mi have a double purpose: first,

to compensate for wear in the coupler head, and second, to prevent the repair knuckle shown in Figure Gfrom 'being used in place of the new knuckle shown in Figure 2 with a new coupler head, unless such wear has taken place in the coupler as to make a repair knuckle necessary and workable. I

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited'by' the exact embodiment of the device shown, which isrnerely byway of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope'of the claims.

a 1. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle mounted said head, and meansfor initially positioning said knuckle in a position to tighten the contour thereof relative to said coupler head whereby said contour will assume a desired normal relation with. said coupler head upon subsequent wear between the parts of said coupler; I

2. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle mounted in said head, said head and knuckle having projecting members with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, and means in cluding a lock for positioning said knuckle in locked position to initially tighten the contour of said knuckle relative to said coupler head whereby said contour will assume a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon subseuent wear between said projecting members and said lock and knuckle.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle mounted in said head, said head and knuckle having projecting members with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said knuckle having a pulling face and a lock engaging surface, and a lock for said lock engaging surface, said lock and surface being so disposed asto tighten the contour of said knuckle relative to said coupler head whereby the contour of said knuckle will assume a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon wear over the pulling face thereof, between said projecting mem bers and lock and lock engaging surface 4. In a coupling device, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle normally locked in said head, said head and knuckle having cooperating projecting members with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said head and knuckle having alinged openings, means for initially positioning said knuckle in a position to tighten the contour thereof relative to said coupler head whereby said contour will assume a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon subsequent wear over the parts of said coupler,-and a pin member fitting in said openings and bearing over the walls of said openings for transfer of strain from said knuckle to said head.

5. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle mounted in said head,

said head and knuckle having cooperating projecting members with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, a lock engaging a locking face of said knuckle, the contour of said knuckle being so disposed as to initially tighten the same in relation tosaid coupler head whereby the same will assume a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon subsequent wear over the pulling and locking faces thereof and over the surfaces of said, projecting members.

.6. In a "car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle mounted in said head, said head and knuckle having cooperating projecting members with the surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, a lock engaging a locking face of said knuckle, said locking face being so disposed as to position said knuckle whereby the contour thereof is initially tightened in relation to said coupler head, said contour assuming a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon subsequent wear over the pulling and locking faces thereof and between said projecting members.

'7. A car coupler knuckle, comprising a head portion forming a portion of the contour lines of a worn coupler device in which the same is mounted, a tail portion having projecting members and .a locking face, the contour of said knuckle head being offset in a direction to in-v itially tighten thesame in relation to said coupler head in which the same is mounted, the locking face of said knuckle being so constructed and arranged as to cooperate in positioning the contour of said knuckle head in said tightened relation to said coupler head and to hold said knuckle upon subsequent wear in its desired normal relation to said coupler head, said projecting members being so disposed as to take up wear in said worn coupler.

8. A car coupler knuckle, comprising a head portion forming a portion of the contour lines of a worn coupler device in which the same is mounted, a tail portion having projecting members and a locking face, the contour of said knuckle head being. offset in a direction to tighten the same in relation to said coupler head in which the same is mounted, the locking face of said knuckle being so constructed and arranged as to cooperate in positioning the contour of said knuckle head in said tightened relation to said coupler head and to hold said knuckle upon subsequent wear in a desired normal relation to said coupler head, said projecting members being so disposed as to take up wear in said worn coupler, said knuckle having a pivot pin opening offset from a normal position in the hub thereof whereby said pin has bearing engagement with said coupler.

9. In a coupling device, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle normally locked in said head, said head and knuckle having cooperating lugs with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said knuckle having a pulling face and a lock engaging surface, said head and knuckle having aligned openings, and a lock for said lock engaging surface, said lock engaging surface being disposed to cooperate with'said lock to position said pulling face for initially tightening the contour of said knuckle whereby the same will assume a desired normal relation upon subsequent wear over the pulling face of said knuckle and between said lugs and lock and lock engaging surface, and a pin member fitting in said openings and bearing over the walls ofsaid openings for trans-- fer of strain from said knuckle to said head.

10. In a coupling device, the combination of a coupler head having a front face and guard arm, a. knuckle normally locked in said head and being provided with a pulling face, said head and knuckle having cooperating projecting members with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said head and knuckle having aligned openings, a pin member in said openings, and means for initially positioning said knuckle so that said pulling face is disposed rearwardly of its normal position and toward said guard arm to decrease the normal distance between said pulling face of said knuckle and the front face and guard arm of said head whereby the pulling face of said knuckle will assume: a desired normal relation with said coupler head upon subsequent wear over the surfaces of said coupler, said pin having bearing engagement over the walls of said openings for transfer of strain together with said lugs from said knuckle to said head.

3.1. In a coupling device, the combination of a coupler head having a front face and guard arm, a knuckle normally lockedin said head, said head and knuckle having cooperating lugs with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said lmuckle having a pulling face and a lock engaging surface, said head and knuckle having aligned openings, and a lock for said lock engaging surface, said cooperating lugs and the disposition of the pulling face of said knuckle and the locking surface thereof and said lock initially positioning said pulling face rearwardly of its normal position and toward said guard arm whereby the normal distance between said pulling face and front face and guard arm of said coupler head is initially decreased, and a pin member disposed in said openings, the initial wear over the cooperating surfaces of said lugs, over the cooperating surfaces of said knuckle and lock and over the pulling face of said knuckle effecting a return of said knuckle into a desired normal relation with said coupler, said pin having bearing engagement over the Walls of said openings for transfer of strain together with said lugs from said knuckle to said head.

12. In a coupling device, the combination of a coupler head having a front face and guard arm, a knuckle normally locked in said head, said head and knuckle having cooperating lugs with their surfaces in bearing engagement when said knuckle is in locked position, said knuckle having buiiing and pulling faces and a lock engaging surface, said head and knuckle having aligned openings, and a lock for said lock engaging surface, said cooperating lugs and the engagement of said locking surface with said lock initially positioning said buffing and pulling faces rearwardly of their normal position and toward said guard arm whereby the normal distance between said pulling face of said knuckle and the front face and guard arm is initially decreased, and a pin member fitting in said openings, the initial wear over the cooperating surfaces of said lugs, over the cooperating surfaces of said knuckle and lock and over the pulling face of said knuckle effecta return of said knuckle into a desired normal relation with said coupler, said pin having bearing engagement over the walls of said openings for transfer of strain together with said lugs from said knuckle to said head.

EDMUND P. KINNE. 

